The field of the disclosure relates generally to forming components via casting, and more particularly to forming a multiple component core assembly for casting such components.
Some known methods for manufacturing metallic components include casting. Some known casting methods facilitate the production of near net shaped components where the component is substantially formed in one step during the casting process and finish machined to complete the component. At least some components include intricately-shaped voids and internal passages and/or require an interior surface to be formed with particular features. For example, but not by way of limitation, some components, such as hot gas path components of gas turbines, are subjected to high temperatures. At least some such components have intricately-shaped internal voids defined therein, such as but not limited to a network of plenums and passages, to receive a flow of a cooling fluid adjacent an outer wall.
At least some such known components are formed in a mold with a core of ceramic material positioned within the mold cavity. A molten metal alloy is introduced to the mold cavity around the ceramic core and cooled to form the component. However, an ability to produce intricately-shaped voids and/or internal passages of the cast component depends on an ability to precisely form the intricate core and position it relative to the mold to define the cavity space between the core and the mold. In addition, at least some known ceramic cores are fragile, resulting in cores that are difficult and expensive to produce and handle without damage during the mold creation and casting process.
Alternatively or additionally, at least some known components are formed by drilling and/or otherwise machining the component to obtain the final shape, such as, but not limited to, using an electrochemical machining process. However, at least some such machining processes are relatively time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, at least some such machining processes cannot produce an outer wall having the features, wall thickness, shape, and/or contours required for certain component designs.